Devotional on snubbed: July 30

Daily Devotional: Thursday, July 30 – The All-Star Snub

By Sports Spectrum Jul 30, 2026

Cody Bellinger of the New York Yankees poses with the MVP trophy after the MLB All-Star Game, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” — Isaiah 49:15-16

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Every July, MLB releases the rosters for the All-Star Game between the National and American League. From this, two talking points are always front and center — who got selected and who got snubbed. After the brief and initial fanfare of celebrating those who were selected, whether it be starters or reserves, the conversation shifts focus to those who were snubbed.

Snubbed players will get asked about not being selected and the reactions will vary depending on the player. Some will be more reserved, while others will bluntly express their anger about not making the cut. Even this year, several players came out and voiced their frustrations about being left out.

For followers of Christ, there are times when it can feel like God is doing the same thing — selecting some, snubbing others — even to those who proclaim His name. Some see the success and good fortune of other Christians, but struggle to see similar results and accolades surrounding them. This kind of feeling is something the enemy thrives on and will continue to pick at by any means necessary in order to keep a person from God’s truth.

God promises all of His people that He will always remember them. This theme is found time and time again throughout Scripture. In Deuteronomy 31:8, Moses assures Joshua that God will always be by his side: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

While Scripture never promises that each person will receive the same accolades or notoriety here on earth, followers of Christ can take solace in knowing that God will never forget about them or just leave them to do life on their own. While that may not make things easier, it absolutely provides hope.

— Gannon Parker

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Daily Devotional: Wednesday, July 29 – Selfless Relationships

By Sports Spectrum Jul 29, 2026

Alabama teammates celebrate after a Women's College World Series game, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” — Matthew 5:6

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Arguably the most significant developments in the college sports landscape in recent years have been the adoption of name, image and likeness (NIL) rules that allow athletes to get paid, along with the NCAA transfer portal that allows athletes to change schools virtually each year with no consequence.

Every year, thousands of athletes enter the portal looking for a better opportunity. Sometimes transferring is the right decision, whether it be due to a coaching change, family circumstances or a lack of playing time. Some players just realize they fit better in a different program.

But the transfer portal also reflects a temptation that extends beyond sports. We live in a culture where we often think, “What’s best for me?” Furthermore, many of these athletes leave schools before roots can ever form. We’ve seen instances where players have transferred to four, five and even six different schools during their college career.

This mirrors how many of us approach friendships, dating, careers and community itself. Modern life has conditioned people to evaluate relationships based on convenience and personal benefit rather than commitment and depth. Real, lasting relationships take time and intentionality, yet we settle for surface-level relationships instead of deep ones that may require sacrifice or putting aside selfish desires.

This is not how Jesus envisioned our relationships to go. In Matthew 5, in what’s known as the Beatitudes, He says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (v. 6). We often hear the word “righteousness” and our mind immediately goes to thinking in terms of personal morality. But in this context, Jesus is using the word to mean being in right relationship with God and other people.

Instead of seeing people for what they can do for us, Jesus teaches us to consider how we can love and serve them sacrificially. The most successful teams didn’t have locker rooms full of selfish people looking to use the person to their left or right for their own gain. They were built on trust, sacrifice, commitment and a true unified bond.

The same is true of friendships, marriages, churches, families or any other relationship. They require patience, humility, faithfulness and putting aside your own ego and desires to do what’s best for the team collectively.

If all you’re doing is chasing the next best opportunity to get to the next level financially, socially or whatever the goal, you will ultimately end up dissatisfied. And in many cases, you’ll probably miss out on so much growth and genuine joy that you would’ve experienced by sticking it out somewhere and approaching your relationships the way Jesus outlined.

As with sports transfers, there will be times when a friendship or relationship needs to end and you need to move on, for a variety of reasons. But that doesn’t always mean you need to run at the first sign of conflict or discomfort. As is the case with athletes, even if the situation isn’t exactly what you envisioned at first, consider whether the grass really is greener on the other side or if there’s a chance for improvement and personal growth.

And whether you’re an athlete, coach or fan, consider whether you’re treating people as stepping stones to your next opportunity, or as image-bearers God has called you to love and be in community with.

— Cole Claybourn

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Daily Devotional: Tuesday, July 28 – Always Worth The Hurt

By Sports Spectrum Jul 28, 2026

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

“My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.” — Proverbs 3:11 (NLT)

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Discipline wasn’t my strong suit. As a collegiate athlete, I hated summer break because of the excess freedom I had. But I learned a priceless lesson before my collegiate softball career began.

Coach asked if I’d be interested in starting college early, and before I could answer, my dad agreed. I’m glad he did because I was lazy. I wanted to spend more time with my friends and family before moving to Oregon, but my report date was set, and my parents were ready for the 14-hour drive from Las Vegas.

The first workout with Coach Rad almost made me throw up. I was the only softball athlete amongst women’s basketball and football players, so intimidation was inevitable. The linemen dusted me, and I hated every minute of that workout in Autzen Stadium.

Even though I was dying of embarrassment, I’m grateful my dad understood the importance of implementing this discipline sooner rather than later. Every year thereafter, I stayed in Eugene for summer workouts and got better as time progressed. Though it didn’t feel good at the time, rewards included playing time and lifelong relationships I’ll never forget.

God’s instruction won’t always be convenient, but His Word is most significant. Much like our own parents, God will never lead us astray. Sacrifice, discipline and a whole lot of correction are common denominators in great athletes. Don’t bypass the challenges and trials just for the accolades. Embrace the discipline given and apply the correction provided. The rewards are always worth it.

— Monique Fuiava, University of Oregon women’s chaplain

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Daily Devotional: Monday, July 27 – Marks Of Maturity

By Sports Spectrum Jul 27, 2026

A scout holds a radar gun as he records the speed from a pitch, July 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” — 2 Peter 3:18

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When scouts recommend a high school or college baseball player to be drafted, they look at a number of things: height, strength, body mass index, overall health, serious injuries, consistency, and more. They study fielding and hitting abilities on infielders and outfielders. Catchers get some breaks for lower batting averages if they call a good game for pitchers and rarely allow a passed ball.

More and more, scouts also study players’ off-field activities and whether or not they are coachable. A player may have great talent, but if they lack self-control or have an attitude or won’t listen, they probably won’t be a good teammate and may cause more harm than good. Scouts are looking for maturity.

God is too. As we walk with Him, we should begin to look more like Him.

When Jesus first called Simon (whose name was changed later to Peter) to be a disciple, he was a know-it-all with a temper, but Jesus was patient with him. On one occasion, Peter and some other disciples fished all night and caught nothing, then Jesus approached and suggested a place to catch fish. Though Peter was skeptical, he dropped down the nets according to the command of Jesus and caught a large number of fish (Luke 5:6-8). As Jesus spoke in a language Peter understood, Peter realized in a deep and meaningful way that Jesus is much more than a man, and that none of us is worthy to approach the true and living God.

Even though Peter learned a lot from Jesus during His three-and-a-half years of ministry, Peter continued in some of his immature ways because he was overconfident in his own abilities. When Jesus told the disciples beforehand about the series of events leading up to His death and resurrection, Peter swore he would always stand bravely by Jesus. But the Lord knew better and told him so (Mark 14:29-30).

As time passed, Peter saw the perfect knowledge of Jesus. On the other hand, Peter saw his own limited knowledge and realized he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. Gradually, he learned to rely more on God. He emptied himself and filled his heart with the Holy Spirit.

In many ways, we tend to be like Peter until we fall flat on our face. And then hopefully, we begin learning to live the Jesus way as we move ourselves off the throne and surrender to God’s power working through us. When we move away from relying on our smarts or physical strength to deal with problems, we usually find God’s methods are better than ours. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, we can live a life that pleases God and we improve in every way. The Holy Spirit develops us into more loving, patient and peaceful people (Galatians 5:22-23) and we learn to approach people with compassion.

Maturity means people see more of Jesus and less of us. Our march toward Heaven is a journey to be more and more like our Savior by studying and applying the Scriptures. The Lord wants us to keep on growing, learning and improving until we see Jesus face to face.

— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia

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Daily Devotional: Friday, July 24 – Fueled

By Sports Spectrum Jul 24, 2026

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:32 (NKJV)

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You hear a lot about sports nutrition these days. I wish as a young person I would have had a better understanding of nutrition. I’ve yet to see butter biscuits and sweet tea on any high-profile athlete’s breakfast-of-champions list, but I’m not going to lie — it is a favorite of mine occasionally. I can’t help but think of some good advice my dad gave me recently: A lot of life is about balance. While we weren’t talking about nutrition, it applies to so many areas of life.

I understand all too well what it looks like to get out of balance when it comes to fitness. As a young person, there were times when my fitness routine involved changing the channel on the remote. As I entered high school, I became more aware of social norms and what culture valued from an appearance perspective. I started eating what I thought was better and working out more. The weight started to come off and the compliments started to come in.

It was the beginning of one of the most dangerous periods of my life because things quickly went from one extreme to the other. I would spend the next decade (DECADE!) of my life battling eating disorders. I was afraid that somehow the weight would come back, irrationally afraid, and rigid control seemed like the only way.

I relate to what Paul talks about in Romans 7:15-20, not doing what he wanted to do and choosing instead the things he hated. Sin is like that. You think you have the freedom to make choices, and the next thing you know, you realize you are not in control at all. I hated having an eating disorder.

As I look back now, I wonder what I could have accomplished had I fueled my body instead of starving it. John 10:10 tells us the “thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy,” and I don’t think we realize the many subtle ways that can happen. Ask anyone who has ever battled an addiction, even an addiction to fitness, and I think they can probably relate.

For years, I kept my eating disorder issues a secret. I tried to get well on my own. I cried. I prayed. I pleaded with God, but still I struggled. Breakthrough came, I believe, when I finally shared the truth with my husband. I think it was the beauty of 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) in action: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Confession and the faithfulness of God ushered in the healing that I so desperately needed. It was hard and painful, but worth it. It was a long time before I could share my story without shame, but I believe Romans 8:28 applies even to our failures. God has a heart to restore what is broken. He certainly did that in my story. He used it to humble me. He used it to help me be more compassionate toward those struggling with addiction, even if their chains looked different from mine.

Even as I was writing this, I saw something I don’t think I ever thought about before: how the serpent tempted Eve with fruit from the forbidden tree in the garden, and how he tempted Jesus in the wilderness with bread. Eve fell for the lie, but not Jesus. That is something that amazes me about Jesus. He had the best of Heaven, but chose to come to this fallen, broken world to become our great High Priest who knew what it was like to be tempted, even with food.

Where we would fail, even in the garden, He reigns victorious, even in the wilderness. In that, He offers us a crucial truth for all of life: Yes, fueling our bodies is important, but even more important is that we fuel our minds with the truth of God’s Word. Because as much as I like fitness, I like being free even more.

Jesus Himself used this truth in Matthew 4:4 (NKJV): “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

— Rachel Gibbons

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Daily Devotional: Thursday, July 30 – The All-Star Snub

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Daily Devotional: Wednesday, July 29 – Selfless Relationships

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Daily Devotional: Tuesday, July 28 – Always Worth The Hurt

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Daily Devotional: Monday, July 27 – Marks Of Maturity

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Daily Devotional: Friday, July 24 – Fueled

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